Goal of Sub-3 Hour Marathon (Read 15825 times)

Jim, I would say you are definitely ready for a sub 3 hour marathon based on your awesome 1:24:09 half marathon performance last week! Congratulations.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lloyd. I think you should join this thread. There are several who aren't making their try until next year. To run the race you did with all that you had to deal with before St. George and in the actual race, I think you have established yourself as a legitimate sub-3 threat.

I'd like to sign up please! My current PB is 3:00:26 (or 2:59:86 as I like to think of it). Based on my 10 mile and half marathon times, I should be well under three hours, but it's never quite worked out like that yet. I'll be running in Dublin, Ireland on the 27th October, so I'm hoping for a nice spell of good weather starting soon.

2008 Goals:
- Sub 1:00 10 mile
- Sub 3:00 marathon

DoppleBock

posted: 10/9/2008 at 8:05 PM

Welcome Daithiwk - You must be in the middle of sharpening - What was you training like - Mileage etc?

Hello all,
Just looking for some expert advice on what sort of major mistakes I am doing in training. I have done 26 marathons over last 10 years and am now almost 43 years old. I just ran my PR of 3:06:14 in rain at twin cities marathon. I am capable of 1:25 1/2 marathon for a basis of what speed I currently have. What litttle I have that is. I have been getting better as I have entered my 40s.
Leading up to twin cities my last several weeks of training I did the following before a 2 week taper. I did similar weeks but with 24s, 22, 20 in 2 week pattern working up to 26s.
M - 4miles @ 6:30 pace
T - 12miles @ 6:30 pace
W - 4miles @ 6:30 pace
Th - 10miles @ 6:30 pace
Fr - 2miles @ 8:00 pace
S - 26miles about 3hrs 15-20min finish time
Sun - rest.
I know its boring to some but I feel comfortable doing this. What I really need is some feedback on how bad this kind of "not really knowing what I'm doing training" could possibly prevent me from breaking 3hr marathon.
I usually do 1/2 Ironman tri in august so I swim and bike but just till about2-3 months before I ramp up to the above.
Next year I am thinking of not doing tri but still swin and bike. It seems to help keep me injury free last several years.
Any feedback appreciated.

Welcome daithiwk; you have one of the best sets of times between 10k-half mar on the list, if not the best. I think you are odds-on to get your sub-3 this time in spite of the low mileage. It's very clear that lack of mileage is the only thing that has held you back thus far. You should be able to break 2:50 with those times. Good luck.

Hello all,
Just looking for some expert advice on what sort of major mistakes I am doing in training. I have done 26 marathons over last 10 years and am now almost 43 years old. I just ran my PR of 3:06:14 in rain at twin cities marathon. I am capable of 1:25 1/2 marathon for a basis of what speed I currently have. What litttle I have that is. I have been getting better as I have entered my 40s.
Leading up to twin cities my last several weeks of training I did the following before a 2 week taper. I did similar weeks but with 24s, 22, 20 in 2 week pattern working up to 26s.
M - 4miles @ 6:30 pace
T - 12miles @ 6:30 pace
W - 4miles @ 6:30 pace
Th - 10miles @ 6:30 pace
Fr - 2miles @ 8:00 pace
S - 26miles about 3hrs 15-20min finish time
Sun - rest.
I know its boring to some but I feel comfortable doing this. What I really need is some feedback on how bad this kind of "not really knowing what I'm doing training" could possibly prevent me from breaking 3hr marathon.
I usually do 1/2 Ironman tri in august so I swim and bike but just till about2-3 months before I ramp up to the above.
Next year I am thinking of not doing tri but still swin and bike. It seems to help keep me injury free last several years.
Any feedback appreciated.

To be very blunt, it is not possible that you could run those training paces and not have run any faster than a 3:06 marathon in 26 tries. That 12-miler on Tuesday is 1:25 half-marathon pace!

Jim - I am in the "on-deck circle" feeling confident are relaxed. Ready to stare down at my opponent and get a hit for our sub 3:00 team. Of course I realize that my most feared opponent is myself.
Here's to Busiman,
DCV2002 and myself - May we have fair seas and following winds!
Let's all run a smart race, except a high level of pain, be safe and have fun!

Best of luck to the three of you running this weekend. I'm sure there are many people reading this thread who will be both wishing you luck and looking forward to hearing how you do. This thread has got quite popular and it's great to have such a support group. Thanks to Jim for keeping track of everyone
Good luck also to those running 1/2's or other races, tune up or otherwise, this weekend.
John

Thanks for the welcome! Dublin will be my 13th marathon (lucky for some), and I've found in training for all my previous attempts that there's a definite compromise between doing enough miles and not getting injured. 50 miles a week is my absolute maximum - any more than that and my body seems to start breaking down. I feel that I'm probably much more suited to 10km to 30km distances, but I would just like to break the 3 hour barrier for a marathon before I can retire gracefully from that distance.
As a farmer, I also reckon I'm doing about 15 to 20 miles a week of walking, which I like to think helps a bit on endurance training.

2008 Goals:
- Sub 1:00 10 mile
- Sub 3:00 marathon

DoppleBock

posted: 10/10/2008 at 6:23 AM

How is Ireland this time of year? Some day my wife and I will take a trip to Ireland - When do you think the best time of year to visit?
Good luck in Dublin - I just ran my 13th - a few weeks ago - Paced my sister - It was a lot of fun - I spent the morning trying to talk the volunteers out of their donuts and pizza - No donuts, but 2 slices of pizza
You seem to have plenty of speed, so 50 miles in a wek is enough. It just means that you have to run a smart race and not go over the red line. Because I run more miles, I can get away with a few more mistakes if I run a few milw too fast.
I am out until Monday (Maybe Sunday ) I will report back then

I'd like to sign up please! My current PB is 3:00:26 (or 2:59:86 as I like to think of it). Based on my 10 mile and half marathon times, I should be well under three hours, but it's never quite worked out like that yet. I'll be running in Dublin, Ireland on the 27th October, so I'm hoping for a nice spell of good weather starting soon.

No wonder daithiwk is so fast! He is 180 inches tall! I haven’t come across to many 15 footers in my time but maybe they grow them bigger in those farmlands across the pond!
Just kidding! Daithiwk your times are very impressive.
daithiwk's profile
Name: David
Gender: Male
Profession: Farmer
Age: 31
Height: 180
Current Weight: 149.9 lb
Goal Weight: 147.7 lb

To be very blunt, it is not possible that you could run those training paces and not have run any faster than a 3:06 marathon in 26 tries. That 12-miler on Tuesday is 1:25 half-marathon pace!

Hey, Jim actually it would be possible if he is running his workouts at half marathon race pace. I would be absolutely destroyed after those workouts if I could even complete them at all. I know I am guilty of running my workouts WAYYY too fast but his sound ridiculous.

Hey, Jim actually it would be possible if he is running his workouts at half marathon race pace. I would be absolutely destroyed after those workouts if I could even complete them at all. I know I am guilty of running my workouts WAYYY too fast but his sound ridiculous.

Travis; Maybe you could run a half-marathon race in training but I sure couldn't and don't know many who could. Running some mile reps at HM pace and running a 12-mile run at that pace are 2 entirely different things. Now when you add 4 more days at the same pace it borders on the..uh, well....impossible.

Travis; Maybe you could run a half-marathon race in training but I sure couldn't and don't know many who could. Running some mile reps at HM pace and running a 12-mile run at that pace are 2 entirely different things. Now when you add 4 more days at the same pace it borders on the..uh, well....impossible.

It's not impossible but I think, if you could manage training weeks like that, you would need to join the "Goal of Sub-2:30 Marathon" thread.
MTA: Oh yeah, there isn't one.

DoppleBock

posted: 10/10/2008 at 6:02 PM

Funny - I got to the hotel and forgot my bad
It will be OK - I always keep my gym bag in the car and have everything I need - Not ideal shorts, shirt or shoes - but bad fashion will not slow me down